Etymologically
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unspecified

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 31 October 2026 at 23:44. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • /ʌnˈspɛ.sɪ.faɪd/[1]

Etymology

It is formed from English un- + specified, the second part being the past participle of specify.[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Not specified: 1624, in Thomas Heywood's Gynaikeion, or Nine Books of Various History concerning Women.[2] Etymonline dates it to the 1620s.[4]

Semantic evolution

The meaning has stayed the same since the 17th century.[2][4] Johnson (1755) defined it as "not particularly mentioned", quoting Sir Thomas Browne's Vulgar Errours.[5]

Timeline

  • 1624 – not specified, not named in detail.[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Not stated, named or described in detail; not specified: The company paid him an unspecified sum to settle the claim.[6][3][2]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ Johnson, Samuel (1755), A Dictionary of the English Language, London; 4th ed. 1773; Johnson's Dictionary Online, ed. Beth Rapp Young et al.
  6. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins